Sunday, March 31, 2013

An Atlanta drag queen hospitalized for days in intensive care as fellow entertainers and supporters collected donations to help her, lost her battle with pneumonia and died on Sunday, according to friends.

Shortly after 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, friends from across the country began flooding Ashley Kruiz’s Facebook page with news of her death and messages of love and prayers.

On Friday Brian Harmon, a longtime friend of Kruiz and fellow drag performer, said that her condition deteriorated. Earlier in the week, Harmon said doctors were unsuccessful in removing Kruiz from a ventilator.

Since at least March 18, Kruiz was hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit of Grady with what friends described as a lung infection and pneumonia. Drag performers rallied to collect donations to pay for her medical bills and expenses. Last weekend, more than $1,000 was collected at local drag shows.